Is there a way to spawn processes from the XWin login shell?

[Jon TURNEY]

On 23/03/2013 00:02, Thiago Padilha wrote:
> XWin uses a login shell to configure its environment when it starts
> up, and processes spawned from the tray icon inherit XWin environment
> so they don't have to be spawned from login shells. Is there a way to
> achieve the same effect without using a tray icon?

Yes.

> For example, can I have a desktop shortcut that launches a terminal
> emulator with a simple interactive(non-login) shell and still have it
> inherit the currently running XWin environment like it was started
> from the tray icon?

To inherit implies that it is a child of XWin, so no.

However, you can create a process with an identical login environment by
requesting the shell to create a login environment.

On 27/03/2013 15:52, Thiago Padilha wrote:
> Actually, I use windows shortcut with the following command line:
> C:\cygwin\bin\run.exe /usr/bin/zsh -l -c 'exec startxwin'
> 
> I'm guessing the startxwin is responsible for setting up the login
> environment. Still, the only way to start processes inheriting from
> the login shell seems to be by using the tray icon.

Reading 'man zsh' would save you having to guess.

The login environment is nothing to do with startxwin.  You are requesting zsh
to create the login environment with the '-l' flag.

-- 
Jon TURNEY
Volunteer Cygwin/X X Server maintainer

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